‘I can’t believe it. What a mess this is.’

Persephone rubbed her reddened face and sighed heavily.

But she couldn’t say anything to Demeter. There wasn’t a single wrong word in her nagging.

Persephone had been a tomboy and troublemaker since she was young.

She often got injured, and since she didn’t cry much even when she bled, Demeter would only discover the wounds once they had scabbed over.

It was a point where her overprotectiveness was thoroughly understandable.

Thinking it was her own karma, Persephone deliberately scratched the back of her head nonchalantly.

“Well, I didn’t get hurt that badly. I felt strangely full of energy there.”

“What did you say?”

“I told you earlier, didn’t I? I made flowers and ears of grain grow, and then I even made trees grow from there.”

“…”

“Usually my power only extends to making a few stalks of grain grow, but thinking about it now, it seems a bit strange, doesn’t it?”

Demeter, blinking her eyes, let out an “Ah” of realization.

“You mean your divine power increased in the Underworld?”

“Do you know why that is?”

“I’m not entirely sure either. But if I had to guess, it might be because your prestige rose in the Underworld.”

“What?”

Persephone’s cheeks tilted askew.

A god could have great abilities just by being, but they could also gain strong powers by receiving offerings and praise from humans.

‘Is what Mother is saying similar to that?’

As she was pondering this, Hermes chimed in, unable to hide his amusement.

“While we were searching for Miss Kore, Demeter created a temple. Quite a lot of humans started earnestly praising Demeter.”

“Really?”

“Why do I need to tell you? See for yourself.”

Persephone quietly measured the power swirling within Demeter.

‘It’s true. Her power has become more abundant.’

Until now, Demeter had no temple dedicated to her worship.

She was a goddess who had been confident that she could rule and care for the vast earth with just her innate power.

But now, for whatever reason, the prestige of her name had risen even higher due to human worship.

Demeter smiled softly.

“So it must be thanks to you making a name for yourself in the Underworld, Kore?”

“…Hehe.”

Persephone laughed sheepishly.

Though the lord of the underworld stared intently at the mother and daughter, Persephone lightly ignored his aggrieved gaze.

“But Kore, you should be careful when using your power.”

Demeter lowered her eyes.

“Why?”

“Because you might break apart, unable to handle the increased power.”

It was Hades who answered Persephone’s question instead.

“Your soul and body have likely already been worn down a bit from using power beyond your ability. If you keep scraping the bottom of your power from there, your young ‘existence’ won’t die, but it will be finished all the same.”

Hades tapped the table.

So to summarize simply, her body was like a glass cannon now.

Persephone shrugged her shoulders.

“Won’t I regenerate before being finished anyway, so is it really a problem?”

“Don’t say such frightening things. Something like spiritual essence needs time to adapt. You’re still too young, and you’ve used an enormous amount of power all at once recently. At this rate, you won’t even be able to properly use the power you originally could.”

Hades shook his head firmly.

“And ‘Kore’, that name is a childhood name or nickname, right? You have a different real name?”

“Well, yes. I’ve been called this since I was young.”

“It’s a bigger problem than you might think that even gods with wide connections like Thanatos and Hermes don’t know your real name.”

“…”

“To stably operate your power, raise the ‘position’ of your name while honing your divinity. That will be the shortcut to a virtuous cycle.”

In other words, don’t use all your power at once in a short time – like in a matter of days as she had this time.

‘So use it in small amounts frequently if I’m going to use it?’

Persephone looked at Demeter as if to ask if Hades was right, but she didn’t add any explanation.

She just gave a slight nod.

Persephone’s gaze landed on Hades, then immediately turned to empty space.

“…I understand.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Having finished their discussion, the gods left the reception room.

Hermes said he was busy and left through the window, leaving only Demeter, Persephone, and Hades.

Demeter, carrying Persephone’s luggage in both hands, suddenly turned her head toward Hades.

“I thought you had finally gone mad, junior. A kidnapping marriage, of all things.”

“…It’s a misunderstanding, senior.”

“I know. At first, I was angry too, but I know your nature well.”

Demeter nodded her head.

“But for some reason, seeing your face makes me feel annoyed. Come on, as your senior, help carry Kore’s luggage. My child’s wrists might break.”

“Ah, yes.”

As if he had been waiting for this, Hades naturally took the luggage Demeter handed over.

Even though the amount of luggage was at least twice that of Persephone’s or Demeter’s share, he didn’t complain or grumble at all.

Persephone, watching them, rolled her eyes between the bundles.

An authoritative older sister and an obedient younger brother.

‘It might not be so bad.’

Persephone, who had privately come to terms with their relationship, blinked as she saw Demeter suddenly stop walking.

“Mom? What’s wrong?”

She stood in the middle of the hallway, looking back and forth between Persephone and Hades.

“…”

After a long silence, she opened her mouth.

“Looking at it like this, this also feels somehow unpleasant.”

Persephone looked around with confused eyes.

‘What exactly is bothering her?’

There didn’t seem to be anything particularly special about the scene.

Just her and Hades standing side by side, carrying similar luggage.

Demeter muttered fiercely.

“It’s not like they’re moving in together…”

“…?”

It was incomprehensible to Persephone.

“Never mind, let’s go.”

Demeter’s face was clouded with deep worry as she mumbled a few words.

Humming and pondering deeply, she led Persephone ahead.

Having reached the stairs leading to the guest rooms of the palace, Demeter glanced back again.

A sigh escaped through her lips.

“Haah…”

“What’s wrong?”

Demeter held out her hand to Hades.

“Just give those back to me.”

“Pardon?”

“Quickly! I simply can’t bear to look at this anymore!”

[This is the timeline separator]

For some unknown reason, Hades quietly handed over the luggage to the now fiercely agitated Demeter and left.

Demeter, even placing bundles on her shoulders, put the boxes into the guest room where Persephone would be staying.

After all the luggage was arranged.

Now only the mother and daughter were in the room.

“…Phew.”

Demeter stared out the window for a long while, exhaling.

Persephone’s field of vision captured her mother’s strangely subdued profile.

How much time had passed?

“Kore.”

Persephone raised her innocent eyes at Demeter’s call.

“What is it?”

The hand calloused with work stroked her daughter’s hair.

Though it was an action that exuded affection from any angle, there was an evident hint of hesitation.

“There’s something I need to tell you, if that’s alright.”

“What is it?”

“…The reason I reacted so explosively to this incident, and why you absolutely must be careful in the Underworld.”

“…”

Instinctively sensing her mother’s somber mood, Persephone sat down on a nearby box.

Sitting across from her, Demeter’s voice lowered softly.

“After you were born, I received a prophecy.”

Persephone’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s.

She was not unfamiliar with what prophecies were.

Especially how powerful an effect they had in Greek and Roman mythology.

The reason Olympus had been able to maintain an advantage in wars with other forces until now was also thanks to this thing called prophecy.

Apparently, it was because the God King had been able to know in advance the conditions for victory in wars.

Especially the fate that formed the basis of prophecies was extremely sharp, making it impossible even for gods to escape…

“And?”

Persephone raised an eyebrow, pretending to be nonchalant. With a frivolous smile at the corners of her mouth, she shrugged her shoulders.

“What, am I going to die or something?”

“That could be the case.”

Persephone’s body, which was about to loosen up flippantly as usual, froze as if hit by cold water.

Her trembling lime-green gaze met eyes of a much deeper green.

“It’s not a lie.”

Demeter smiled as if bitter.

“The prophecy I received then was that the person I love would die.”

Persephone’s pupils shook uncontrollably as if shattered. She clasped her hands demurely, unlike her usual self.

“…Ah, haha…”

“…”

“I, I see?”

“Yes.”

Persephone pursed her lips into a circle and quietly averted her gaze.

Seeing Demeter nod readily, it seemed this wasn’t just nagging to be careful, but the real thing.

“But gods are immortal, right? I won’t die?”

“You could fall into a tragedy equivalent to death. For instance, falling into a lifelong coma.”

“…”

“How could that not be death?”

In other words, the ‘death’ in the prophecy could be metaphorical.

‘Wait, does that mean everything Mom has done to take care of me until now was…’

Good heavens, was it all because of this prophecy?

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“…Y-yes.”

Persephone nodded vigorously with a dumbfounded expression.

Though it didn’t feel real since it was a background setting that didn’t exist in the original story, the prophecy itself was a major issue nonetheless.

“The reason I hadn’t told you such an important fact until now was because I was confident I could take care of you sufficiently with just my own power, but…”

Demeter’s gaze, which had been wandering in empty space, slanted sideways.

“Now it’s impossible for me to take care of you.”

Her brow crumpled like a piece of paper.

“So Kore, you must absolutely be careful.”

“O-of course!”

“You could ‘die in another sense’ here. Remember my words well.”

“I understand!”

Persephone smiled, forcing strength into her lips that kept trying to stiffen, but Demeter’s expression changed as if she found it unconvincing.

As if she didn’t know where this child might get hurt again.

“…If there’s anyone I don’t like, I’ll definitely crush them to bits.”

Unable to stand it anymore, Persephone clenched her fist and showed it.

A laugh escaped through Demeter’s lips. Her palm roughly rubbed her daughter’s crown.

“That’s right. You were always the type to smash through obstacles to feel satisfied.”

Soon after, warm lips fell on her forehead.

“Let’s meet again in half a year.”

Persephone, who had been fiddling with her fingers, flinched.

But soon she flashed a confident smile as if to say not to worry.

“Yes, Mom!”

[This is the timeline separator]

Demeter left.

Now Persephone was alone.

Persephone, who had been mindlessly tapping the tips of her nails, suddenly sat on the windowsill.

Far away, a blue light resembling the moon was illuminating the room, but that wasn’t the real moon.

It was just the minimal light source to illuminate the Underworld.

“…This is when I should have a glass of wine.”

Persephone’s gaze turned to one of the boxes.

Usually, it’s common to drink it mixed with water.

What do they call that, more cultured or something?

But since Persephone was far from cultured, she was debating whether or not to drink the wine straight from the box.

‘Should I drink it or not.’

Just as she swallowed and reached her hand toward the box.

Knock knock.

Suddenly, a knocking sound interrupted her thoughts.

“Kore.”

Hades’ low voice was heard from beyond the door.

Persephone jumped up with a metallic sound.

“Y-yes?”

“I have something to talk about for a moment, if you could spare some time?”